Lifting: what is your current program?

[Bighead]

That is interesting. Tell us more about the TRX Force. opinions, etc.

With me leaving for two months across EU and Asia, a field training option has appeal

I first heard about the TRX from one of my active duty students...tried his one day and decided to buy my own. In my opinion it is a very good tool to throw in my bag for a trip. Find an anchor point and start the workout. The Force kit I bought comes with the parts to anchor it almost anywhere...not sure about the other kits they offer.

Take a look at some of these videos...What is TRX Suspension Training?.

 

[dzzz]

I like the quote "the most effective program is the one your not doing". Muscle adaptation is so effective there's no such thing as an ideal or best program.

Staying motivated, multijoint lifts, food rather than supplement emphasis, some cardio to exhaustion - that would be my short list that I need to get back to. The most effective program I've done is Body for Life. Unfortunately beyond basic lifting it all about food.

 

[Scott Brady]

Jeremy and I have been mixing things up every 4-6 weeks and have seen significant hypertrophy and fat loss. I am buying new pants and belts now (shirt size is the same). I am about 6% down on body fat and have lost roughly 15 lbs. from the start (I am down about 35lbs from my high six years ago, sitting in front of a computer all day). A few weeks ago, I stopped measuring weight as an indicator of progress, moving over completely to body fat.

I know my BMR is way higher now. Hungry all the time! To see the next real change will come from diet. I know that and have started to make slow changes, first stopping all sodas and sugary drinks (water only), and instead of a large cappuccino in the morning, I get a medium with 2% milk instead of whole.

The Paleo diet is interesting. My sister has had real success with raw foods.

The big killer for me is all the travel, though I typically lose weight while in the developing world (Mexico excluded). I am about to leave for two months across eastern Europe and Asia, and will have no room for workout equipment. That makes the TRX appealing.

 

[HMR]

The big killer for me is all the travel, though I typically lose weight while in the developing world (Mexico excluded). I am about to leave for two months across eastern Europe and Asia, and will have no room for workout equipment. That makes the TRX appealing.

Scott- I probably travel as much or more than you and I go to just about every different environment for both work (commercial pilot) and play. The nice thing about Crossfit, P90x, TRX, etc. is you really can do the workouts "anywhere". I don't bring any gear but enjoy adapting workouts to whatever native equipment I find. For example, a tree stump can be used for dips, lunges, leg lifts, push-ups and multiple other exercises. My friends and I call them "Rocky Balboa" workouts. With some creativity, I think you'll be able to stay on a good program. It'll be fun to hear what you come up with.

 

[voyageur]

Different Strokes for Different folks...

Howdy fellow fitness Guru's. Just wanted to insert a little different take...

I am a sixty four year old male who has Chronic Kidney Disease. Not Kidney cancer. Not kidney cysts, or any other recognized disease, just partial renal failure. GFR 29, Creatine 2.3. This is still pre-dialysis... (Thank God)

I have been aggressively riding bicycles, mountain and road, since 1962. Currently own my favorite a CHUMBA XCL. In the "past" my spouse and I (43 years so far) would ride 100 mile Saturdays all the time. Last time was 2004. Forty six miles up the Withlacoochee Rails to Trails and forty six back. Ninety six miles and no problem. That was then this is now... We have been physically active and eating right for our entire lives. I now weigh 230 pounds (5'10"), 30 pounds over my ideal weight. My diet has been drastically altered due to my recent discovery of C.K.D. Many of my favorite foods, that are healthy for "normal" people, are poison to me...

In my carport, I have over $3000.00 worth of resistance equipment including a top-of-the-line Smith Machine, made by MARCY and all the stuff that goes with it... It's getting kind of dusty.

C.K.D. causes (among other things: Muscle loss, fatigue, irregular heartbeats and other assorted crappy symptoms).

I am not complaining at all, just stating facts. If you have a healthy fit body now - enjoy it. If you can bench press 225, enjoy it. If you can basically eat anything you want, enjoy it. Just don't ever, ever, take good health for granted!

I am still lifting (all I can) three days a week. I still ride my road bike every day. I also take naps every day, because I need to. There is no medical treatment for my condition. When I asked my Nephrologist what I could due to slow down the decline of my kidney function, she said, "Eat right, lose weight and exercise." She also said, "It's all up to you."

If you are a praying person send them up for "Voyageur". If you are not - just think happy thoughts. Having supportive friends and family, encouraging me to be fit, is all I can count on for help...

Repeat - not complaining, just saying...

 

[tmac]

I'm in the gym 3 days a week for the last 3 years. Mostly freeweights.
I stick with the basics - squats, deadlifts, and bench. I will throw in other exercises such as curls, triceps, shoulders. I use different variations to keep the muscles guessing.
I will also change my routine every 4 - 6 weeks to keep things fresh. Right now I'm doing a light/heavy weight training type routine.

Here is a good site that I use. It has about 2000 pages of info.

http://www.exrx.net/index.html

 

[Lost Canadian]

For the last 4 months or so I've been incorporating/substituting kettlebell workouts with my regular lifting routine. Talk about hitting all those little stabilizer muscles. :Wow1: My core has never been stronger, and I find the kettlebells have really helped to improve my 'real strength,' as the exercises more closely resemble dynamic movements you'd use in the real world. I still squat, deadlift, bench etc, but I'm finding that more and more I'm moving away from the typical static excercises in favour of more dynamic lifting movements utilizing kettlebells.

 

[Co-opski]

1.5 inch Old Man Emu Heavys! Not a big fan of body lifts.



I joke sorry but had to play. :smiley_drive:

 

[Scott Brady]

Just wrapped the 5x5 program today. Moving the heavier weights with more core engagement was good for us. Incorporating more leg movements was also good, especially the squats and dead lifts.

I leave for the Mongolia trip in a few days, so I will be reverting to pushups and crunches and hopefully managing the diet. It would be great to come back leaner too.

 

[Christophe Noel]

I leave for the Mongolia trip in a few days, so I will be reverting to pushups and crunches and hopefully managing the diet.

I hear Mongolian sheep's eyeballs are good for recovery.

 

[chet]

I have been doing the bootcamp thing for a year. a month or so ago I switched to Crossfit and WOW. I feel way stronger and only doing it 3 times a week when I can. Nice not to be chained to a gym for a workout.

 

[Ed B]

Been doing the stronglifts program for a while. I think I am going to have to tweak it a bit as my knees are starting to complain about all the squatting.

 

[Uglyduck]

My dept. adopted CrossFit as our PT program and sent 5 of us to a local Level 1 cert class last October. We've seen remarkable improvement in all participants regardless of age or fitness level. Its fun (especially in a group setting) and the workouts are so varied that its nearly impossible to get bored. I didn't have the discipline to stick to a program before this for longer than 6 months, but the CrossFit WOD's have kept me interested and challenged thus far. I've learned a lot about myself mentally and physically and its paid off in both my professional and personal lives.

Scott, here are someTravel WOD's to torture yourself with.

 

[washington taco]

I lift full body (upper and lower with core work as well) two days a week. Ride road bike 25, 20, 35 miles three days a week and hike/ski in the Cascades one day a week. Rest day is usally the honey do list and can be a work out in its self! Beer is my down fall, but rest of diet is good sea food lean beef and chicken. Huge salid three days a week and a fruit smoothy after work outs.

 

[Hannibal USA]

My lifting routine is:

Day 1:

Bench Pyramid
10 x 185
8 x 195
6 x 205
4 x 215
2 x 225
2 x 225
4 x 215
6 x 205
8 x 195
10 (if I'm lucky) x 185

Rowing Pyramid
Same as above, except with cable row.

Shoulder Press with dumbells
10 x 60
10 x 55
10 x 50

Pull ups
3 sets to fatigue

Full body stretch

Day 2

Squat Pyramid
10 x 235
8 x 245
6 x 255
4 x 265
2 x 275
2 x 275
4 x 265
6 x 255
8 x 245
10 x 235
Puke
Full body stretch

Day 3
Repeat Day 1
Play kayak polo, carb up on beer

Day 4
Repeat Day 2

Day 5
play kayak polo, carb up on beer

Day 6
Rest

Day 7
Easy yoga

I'm LOVING "Buzzerk" for a pre-workout supplement, and "Rezzerect" for a post workout recovery. Highly recommend both.